Protection booth



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IN VEN TOR BY fiaaf' 83 ATTORNEY .J, w. MOORE PROTECTION BOOTH Filed May 20, 193

July 4, 1933.

July 4, 1933. J w MOORE 1,916,524

PROTECTION BOOTH Filed May 20. 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jam W256 A TTORNEY Patented July 4, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT .OFFIC 1 JAMES w,-1uoonE, or wnsr n w YQBK, NEW anasni' 'rRorEoTIon Booth 5 Application filed May 20, 1931. Serial No. 538,734.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in a protection booth, to protect banks and other institutions handling Valuable instruments over the counter.

The invention has for an object the construction of a protection booth which is for use in a bank or the like and adapted to house a person acting as a sentinel. It is proposed to construct the booth of bullet-proof material.

A still further object of this invention is the provision of a means for hearing conversations between persons in the cages behind the counter and customers, by the person within the booth, so that in the event of a holdup the sentinel will know about it.

A still further object of this invention isthe provision of a phone operable by the person within the booth for the purpose of notifying the police regarding the holdup.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a means for automatically closing the doors of the bank to'entrap the holdup men. 7 Another one of the objects of this invention is the provision of apertures in the bul-v let-proof booth, the provision of transparent windows, and means for simultaneously closing the apertures and For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims .in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

V In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure Fig. 1is a fragmentary plan view of a P01313101} of a bank with a protection booth accordlng to this invention.

(Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the booth constructed according to this invention. 1

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on'the line 33 of Fig. l showing in' particular the construction of the counter.

Fig.4 is a fragmentaryelevational view 39 of a portion of the bank showing the door, and a means for closingthe door automatically.

- Fig. 5 a schematic wiring diagram for use in conjunction with the booth. 1g. 6 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view'taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 2 for the purpose of showing one of the controlling switches in detail.

/ Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken on the line of Fig. 2. I

Flg. 8 1s a perspective view of a frame fOIHSUPPOItIDg the'protection booth upon a Wa I p Fig. 9" is a View illustrating a'method for looking rotary doors which may be used in the bank, during an emergency. 1

Fig. 10 1s a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 10 10 of Fig.- 9 and showing '30 inparticular details of the rotary door.

Fig. 11 is a view similar to a portion of Fig. 2 but illustrating a modification. V

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary horizontal sectionalview taken on the line 12-12 of Fig. 11. j

Fig. 13' is a fragment similar to a portion of Fig. 2 but illustrating a still further modification. v

Fig. 14 is a fragmentary tional view taken on the line 1414 of v Fig.13. a Z I I The protection booth is for location within a bank 10 which is provided with customer walking space 11. A counter 12 is arranged {25 upon the flooring and cages 13 for various cashiers arelocated behind the counter 12. In one corner of the bank the protection booth 14 is positioned, preferably atan elevation b'yreason-of being supported .upon 1;)

horizontal secof the container is provided for normally holding the cover in a closed position. A pivoted peep cover 23 is mounted upon the cover 20 for the purpose of looking through apertures .24 in the cover to see whether any enemy is hid below the container and would enter upon opening of the cover. A plurality of rungs 25 are arranged upon the post 15 to allow persons to climb up through the opening 19;

' Within the container a seat 26 is located so that the person may sit in comfort therein. A table 27 is also mounted within the container. A phone 28 is shown resting upon the table and is for the purpose of calling the police in the event of an emergency. The container is formed with transparent windows 29 comprising thick sheets of glass engaged within openings in the sides of the container. A guard 30 is normally located beneath the window openings 29 and is adapted to be moved upwards so as to cover the window openings in time of emergency. A panel board 30 is mounted upon the table 27 and is provided with a plurality of switches 31 operating various circuits so that the person within the protection booth may control various elements. A specific list of these elements will not be given, since they may be any, such as controlling the lights and communication, etc. One of the switches indicated schematically in Fig. 5 by reference numeral 31 is used for automatically closing the bank doors. This is accomplished by the provision of a circuit 32 which includes a solenoid 33 having a core 34 connected with a pivoted door operating lever 35. This lever is mounted pivotally at 36 and its other end engages with a peg 37 projecting from the bottom of the bank door 38. Dot and dash lines 39 indicate the opened position of the lever in which the door is open.

Upon the counter12 and located at various points thereon, there are situated a plurality of microphones 40. Preferably, one microphone should be provided for each cage 13. These microphones are located below the counter and directly communicate with the air above the counter by reason of openings 41 in the counter. Wire gauze 42 closes the openings so'as to prevent articles from falling within the microphones. These microphones are connected up in a circuit, as for example illustrated in Fig. 5, with the earphones 43 located within the booth. These earphones in Fig. 2 are shown suspended by a hook 44 so that they may readily be removed and used by the sentinel. In lieu of the earphones a loud speaker can be provided so that at all times the sentinel may hear' the dome shaped top.- This plate is formed with a plurality of apertures '48 capable of aligning with the apertures 45 in a eel-- tain position. Gear teeth 49 are. formed along the periphery of theplate 46 and mesh with pinions 50'di'a-metrically opposite each other. These pinions are supported by shafts 51 rotative within the booth. Worm pinions 52 are mounted upon the shafts 51 and mesh with rack teeth 53 upon the guard 30. The guard 30 is mounted so as to be longitudinally slidable but non-rotative by reason of a stud 54 projecting from the booth and engaging through a longitudinal aperture 55 in the guard. One of the shafts 51 connects with electric motor 56. Pinions are fixed upon the shafts 51 and connected by a chain drive 61 so that both of the shafts rotate in unison. The motor 56 is shunted across the solenoid 33 as clearly shown in Fig. 5. A switch 57 is located in the path of motion of the guard 30 and particularly opens when the guard is in its raised position. The switch has aprojecting end in the path of motion of the top edge 58 of theguard 30'so-that when the projecting end is lifted the circuit is broken.

The operation of the device may be traced .v

by assuming a person within the booth. This person listens in on the earphones 43 and keeps watching through the windows 29. In the event of aholdup, the guard immediately closes switch 31, which causes the simultaneous closing of the doors of the bank, the lifting of the guard 30 so as to shield the windows and the rotating of the plate 46 so as to close the openings 45. When the openings 45 are closed, it is impossible for the person within the protection booth to be routed by reason of gas fumes'such as from a tear bomb. The'personthen may call the police and set up a general alarm. .In-the event that the robbers are unaware that the guard is sending in the alarm, it is best that no noisebe made in the bank such as the ringing of a gong so that the robbers will not be disturbed until the arrival of the police.

Closing of the switch 31-causes energization of the solenoid 33 which closes the bank door 38. The circuit is also closed, upon closing the switch 31, through the'electric motor 56 which causes rotation of the shafts 51, the

corresponding lifting of the guard 30, and

rotating ofthe plate 461 To. leave the booth, itis necessary that the latch 22 be first opened and then the door 20. The person mayclimb down the rungs 25. p

It is to be understood that my protection booth 14 may be made of any bullet proof metal, fibre or other composition and that it may also be used in railway trains and the like. p

The protection booth is also supported upon the wall by a frame .65. This frame consists of a vertical'member 66 for attachment upon the wall, and upper and lower encircling braces, .67. The braces 67 are shown to be of substantially squared form and adapted to engage around the upper and lower ends of the booth. a in Fig. 9, a means has been disclosed for holding a rotary door of the bank latched in the event of an emergency. This means comprises a control lever 68 for location within the booth and. pivotally mounted at its bottom end 69.- A link 70 pivotally connects with the lever 68 and with a bell crank 71 which is pivotally supported intermediately at 72; The bell cranlralso connects with a sleeve 7 3 provided with a' key 74 engaging with a stationary collar 75. The member 7 8 is slidably mounted so that a disc 76 at its bottom end may be lowered. The disc 76 is provided with pegs 77 capable of engaging within apertures 78 and revolving door 79 to latch the door. The door 79 is of tie type having separate leaves which may be collapsed relative to each other. Screws 80 engaged through the ends of the levers 81 which hold the sections of the door in the open condition so that collapsing is impossible. The intention is that'the only way to operate the door is to revolve it so that when it is held against revolving, persons cannot pass through.

In Fig. 11, another modification of the invention has been disclosed in which a means is provided for preventing shooting through the glass windows 29. This means is in the form of shutters 82 which are pivotally mounted upon lugs 83 within the booth so that they may assume an inoperative position as shown in full lines on the drawings, or a raised operative position as indicated by the dot and dash lines 84. These shutters are fiat as shown in Fig. 12 and arranged upon chords of the booth. Further, the shutters are made from metal which is capable of Catches 85 upon the instopping a bullet. side of the booth are capable of coacting with the top edges of the shutters to hold the latter elements in their raised operative posi- 1 60 tions.

In Figs. 13 and 14, another modified arrangement of the device has been disclosed in which the booth 16 is provided with openings 29 which are not restricted by glass.

7 65 Metallic, individual small shutters 86 are opening. Each of these shutters has a tongue portion 87 on its top engaging within a guide element 88 attached within the booth. The shutters have inclined sides 89 terminating infiat tops 90 so that when a bullet strikes the inclined side it cannot pass upwards further than the top. 90, The intention is that a guard within the booth can open any one of the shutters to shoot out at the burglars, and after theshot is fired, release the shutters whereupon they automatically close.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood'thatl do not limit myself to the precise construction herein disclosed and the rightis reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the illvention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United "States I Letters Patent is l. A protection booth for location in a bank, comprising a bullet-proof container having a plurality of apertures formed in its top and having window openings closed by transparent material, a disc movably mounted in the top ofthe booth and having bank, comprising a bullet-proof container having a plurality of apertures formed in its top and having window openings closed by' transparent material, a disc movably mounted in the top of the booth and having apertures alignable with theapertures in the top, of the booth for closing them in a certain position, a guard movably mounted within the booth for assuming a position behind the transparent windows, and a means-for simultaneously moving the guard to its closed position and moving the disc to a position in which it closes the apertures in the booth,

said latter means including a circuit having a solenoid for automatically closing the door of the bank.

3. A protection booth for location in a bank, comprising a bullet-proof container having a plurality of apertures formed in its top and having window openings closed by transparent material, a disc movably mounted in the top of the booth and having apertures alignable with the apertures in the I top of the booth for closing them in a certain position, a guard movably mounted within the booth for assuming a position behind the transparent Windows, and a means for simultaneously moving the guard to its closed position and moving the disc to a position in which it closes the apertures in the booth, comprising shafts rotatively mounted Within the booth, pinions fixed upon the shafts and engaging gear teeth formed on the pe riphery of the said disc, Worm pinions fixed upon said shafts and engaging rack teeth upon said guard, means for revolving one shaft and means for causing all the shafts to revolve in unison.

4, A protection booth for location in a bank, comprising a bullet-proof container having a plurality of apertures formed in its top and having Window openings closed by transparent material, a. disc movably mounted in the top of the booth and havingaper tures alignable With the apertures in the top of the booth for closing them in a certain position a guard movably mounted Within the booth for assuming a position behind the transparent Windows, and a means for simultaneously moving the guard to its closed position and moving the disc to a position in which it closes the apertures in the booth, comprising shafts rotatively mounted Within the booth, pinions fixed upon the shafts and engaging gear teeth formed on the periphery of the said disc, Worm pinions fixed upon tain position, a guard movably mounted Withthe booth for assuming a position behind the transparent Windows, and a means for simultaneously moving the guard to its closed position and moving the disc to a position in which it closes the apertures in the booth, comprising shafts rotatively mounted Within the booth, means for transmitting rotations of the shafts to the disc, means for transmitting rotations: of the shafts to the guard, means for revolving one of the shafts, and means for causing all of the shafts to revolve in unison.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature.

JAMES W. MOORE.

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